The inital response by the NSW Minister for Climate Change, environment and Water is clearly indicating that the several organisations that have roll over funds and the capacity to purchase land are fully committed and operate indipendently from the government. "The Department initiatives will focus on generating community awareness, building business partnerships,identifying investment priorities, establishing administration arrangements, and commencing pilot projects.Some funds will be used to complement the work of Catchment Management Authorities and other organisations, by providing landowners and managers with incentives and mechanisms to improve conservation management and restore landscapes and ecosystems".(Ref. reply by Minister dated 5 July 2007 to Gianni D'Addario

Posted by gianni, Thursday, 11 October 2007 10:09:42 AM

The response by the Friends of Oolong (FOO)to the Minister is that where the nature heritage and conservation value of a vegetation remnant is undisputably demonstrated and there is a large environmental organisation ( in this case the FOO)committed to its maintenance in cooperation with the National Park and Wildlife Service (at considerable saving to the government) and with the remnant used for education and study the proposal for making the remnant a Nature Reserve should be considered at least as a pilot project towards setting some priority to the establishment of more Nature Reserves on private land.Gianni D'AddarioPresident Friends of Oolong

Posted by gianni, Thursday, 11 October 2007 10:20:20 AM

So, we are expected to believe that the millions of hectares of native forest on private land is all isolated remnant. The vast majority of private native forest in NSW is well connected to other habitats.

Indeed, this notion that native species will only connect with each other under a linked canopy of native vegetation is pure bollocks. It is a new form of the old misrepresentation by omission ploy. Maps of native vegetation are prepared that exclude all non-native vegetation, all small clumps and paddock trees, all watering points and even young native regrowth, leaving the impression that there are wide, impassable gaps in the landscape.

But the simple facts are that most species, including listed species like Koalas, have no problem crossing a kilometre wide pastured gap when they need to. This is especially so for adolescents intent on getting laid.

A recent threatened Species Act "8 point test of significance" carried out in my own region found that the only species that were unable to cross a 1000m gap were the skinks and frogs that are normally linked by creek lines etc, not forest canopy. Forest canopy was irrelevant for this small minority that regards normal ground cover as "canopy".

Furthermore, many species not only traverse orchards and crops but often live, feed and breed in them. So how can something be classed as non-habitat if a large part of the resident species pursue their life cycle imperatives in it?

And in fact, many of the supposed "gaps" in forest cover on private land are the very reason why the habitat remains viable. Another word for these gaps is the term, "firebreak". A 100 metre gap in a tree line can make all the difference in a wildfire while posing zero connection problems for the resident species.

Unless the issue of connectivity is addressed in terms of the size of gaps, real gaps not imaginary ones, for each species, then the issue is being dealt with improperly. No policy can be developed on the basis of a partial and fragmentary grasp of the brief.

Posted by Perseus, Thursday, 11 October 2007 11:27:28 AM

Perseus,While I agree with what you say and I think this organisations efforts would be better spent in getting fid of foxes and cats if protection of native wildlife is their goal. Maybe we should have a closer look at what they say to see if there are any benefits for landowners. This in view of the NSW governments policy regarding the sale of crown roads.

Some 4 years ago the Government, in a money grabbing exercise, decided to sell crown roads or charge high rents for them. The only way of avoiding one or the other was/is for landowners to fence the roads out. The NFF negotiated a stay of 3 years, because of drought and now another 3 years stay gives further breathing space.

I feel for those that have crown roads bisecting their property as they are caught one way or another and will be up for substantial costs. In my own case, there is a crown road on one side but is just rubbish and no commercial value. I intend to fence it out, to minimal standard, as on principle I will not pay an exorbitant rent or buy something that is valueless.

I hope the NFF gets to see this proposal as anything that can change the present crown roads policy is worth looking at.

Also when these people are collecting native tree seeds, I hope they give a lot of consideration to feed tree species for Koalas. Like most I have a soft spot for Koalas and they never did anyone any harm.

Oh, one peed on a politician once which is also a point in their favour.

Posted by Banjo, Thursday, 11 October 2007 1:33:43 PM

Koala's peeing on pollies - I like that one!

Got to remember too that not every animal is a forest dweller. Animals also wander far from their normal habitats - your cant regulate their behaviour. Am example, last year my father found an echidna on his farm. He's been there for 69 years and never seen one (as he spends a lot of time on foot, more so than most farmers). The family have been there since 1898 and this was only the third one ever seen. 50kms further south a wombat has taken up residence where no wombats have ever been recorded.

I dont dispute the fact that retention of some native area is a good thing, but remember that if we want private property used for public good (environment benefits), then the PUBLIC must be willing to pay for such.

Posted by Country Gal, Thursday, 11 October 2007 5:18:50 PM

Good point, Country Gal. Over the range the majority of species are woodland species which actually exploit the grassland food chains rather than the tree based food chains. In fact, it is a mix of both but the further west one goes the less "sustainable" this green tree fetish becomes.

Furthermore, much of the grazed woodlands also have added watering points etc, and these have not only boosted Kangaroo numbers but also a whole range of bird, mammal and amphibian species that have expanded their range and increased their populations. They also play a key part in reducing the severity of drought impacts and enhancing survival rates.

There are some really splendid habitat improvement stories. Such as the micro-bats that now make their nests in the holes drilled in fence posts for the wire. These nest sites can be right next to the crops and the smorgasbord of insects that gather there. and for these little guys, adequate connectivity is achieved by a line of fence posts and a regularly cropped paddock.